–Labor Force:Mike Shedlock takes a deep dive into participation rates. “Male 30-49: Overall, this group is about 33.5% of the male population. 30-49 should be prime working years. Some people might be able to retire after 20 years of service, but that does not apply to anyone under the 40. Some people may have dropped out of the labor force by going back to school, but disability fraud and welfare likely explains some if not most of this decline ” Separately, the Atlanta Fedhas some links and discussion about labor force participation.

–Job Views:Lydia Saad highlights Gallup polling data showing low-income people are the only ones who don’t see the job market mending. “While still negative on balance, Americans’ perceptions of the nation’s job market have generally been better this year than at any time since early 2008. From January through August, between 21% and 26% said now is a good time to find a quality job, putting this month’s 27% just slightly above the recent range. While that’s potentially good news, it is driven exclusively by improved perceptions among middle- and upper-income Americans. Lower-income Americans’ views on this question have been at a yearly low since August, no doubt reflecting their challenges and frustrations at the bottom of the skills ladder.”

–Beer Prices:Orley Ashenfelter, Daniel Hosken and Matthew Weinberg ask whether beer mergers led to price increases. “The American football season is here. Bud, Miller, or Coors, the classic American lagers, are the beverage of choice to accompany the big game throughout the US. Despite the recent surge of microbrews and imports, the big three brands still capture more than 60% of the market. With the recent merger of Miller and Coors, only two large national brewers remain. No doubt many beer drinkers have wondered whether this merger has raised the price of their brand.”

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